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‘Autopsy ‘gold standard’ to discover cause of death
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Defendant Jessica Kumala Wongso listens to a witness testimony during a hearing in her murder trial on Aug. 25. She stands accused of killing her friend Wayan Mirna Salihin by lacing her coffee with cyanide. (Antara/Yudhi Mahatma)
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n autopsy would have been the “gold standard” technique to discover the cause of death, Forensic doctor Budi Sampurna said in his testimony during Wednesday’s hearing of the murder trial of Jessica Kumala Wongso.
“Taking a sample from an abdominal organ is actually uncommon. However, a purely external examination of Mirna’s body would not yield any useful information. By taking a sample at least the doctor would be able to ascertain if there was cyanide inside Mirna’s stomach,” the doctor from Cipta Mangunkusumo Hospital said.
Budi commented on a statement made by Slamet Purnomo, the physician, who examined a sample from Wayan Mirna Salihin’s stomach, which claimed her abdominal organs were damaged by a corrosive substance.
Due to the refusal of Mirna’s family, Slamet never conducted an autopsy on Mirna’s body. However, after the police appealed to them that the examination was needed to proceed with their investigation, Mirna’s family finally agreed to let the doctor take the sample.
However, Budi said that Mirna, who died on Jan. 6 after drinking iced coffee at Olivier café in Central Jakarta, had shown symptoms of cyanide poisoning as she had severe convulsions and shortness of breath before she died.
Commenting on the finding of only 0.2 milligrams of cyanide inside her stomach as reported by toxicologist Sr. Comr. Nursamran Subandi, Budi said, “[Part of] the cyanide might have evaporated, especially because the examination was conducted three days after Mirna died,” he added. (bbn)
